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The Sun
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Kevin Spacey's cunning Hollywood comeback plan as it's revealed surprising A-list star is behind shock Cannes award
IT takes a lot to upstage the eye-catching dresses on the famous la Croisette in Cannes, but the most outrageous moment of this year's film festival has been the return of Kevin Spacey. Even more shocking was the decision to hand a lifetime achievement award for 'decades of artistic brilliance' to the 65-year-old actor who has been accused of inappropriate behaviour and molesting young men over three decades. 13 13 13 Those highly publicised accounts included actor Anthony Rapp alleging he was aged only 14 when Spacey pressed his groin onto him and actor Richard Dreyfuss 's son Harry saying that Spacey preyed on him when he was just 18. Even though double Oscar winner Spacey has successfully defended civil and criminal claims, new accusers have continued to come forward. Yet at a glitzy dinner at the Carlton Hotel on the seafront in the South of France he was given the chance to rail against being 'blacklisted' and to boast 'I'm still standing'. So who would give the actor best known for The Usual Suspects and American Beauty this platform? The award ceremony, we can reveal, is connected to his old pal Sharon Stone. The Basic Instinct actress copped a lot of flack last year for calling for 'genius' Spacey to be given another chance. And she's backed the Better World Fund which handed out the gong on Tuesday night at the private event in Cannes. The audience paid up to £5,000 for a seat to be at the event aimed at raising money for the 'philanthropic' organisation which uses "cinema and art at the service of humanity". It seems to be part of the latest concerted attempt to bring the House of Cards star - who has just landed a part in a conspiracy action-thriller titled The Awakening, alongside English screen stars Alice Eve, Steven Berkoff and Julian Glover - in from the cold. One man backing Spacey 's comeback is film producer Geoffrey Mark, who tells The Sun: 'He is a survivor. Of course what happened has hurt him. Kevin Spacey hit with new lawsuit over debts months after he was booted from mansion & admitted he feared homelessness 13 13 13 'Of course what's happened has harmed his career and his psyche. He wouldn't be human if it didn't. 'He won't be the lead in this film. He'll be the second lead, but he will steal the movie and he'll win another Oscar and then watch out. 'He deserves it. It's going to happen, folks.' That sounds fanciful, given Spacey's pariah status in parts of the film industry. The officials at the Cannes Film Festival made it perfectly clear that neither the award nor Spacey's first appearance there since 2016 had anything to do with them. The organisers put out a statement saying: 'The Festival de Cannes had no involvement in, and was not informed of, either the invitation extended to Mr Spacey or the award presented during this private event.' Many other people in the movie business want to keep their distance. When Sharon Stone, Liam Neeson and Stephen Fry stated publicly last May that Spacey should be rehabilitated, it wasn't well received. Afterwards Sharon admitted "people are mad at me' for standing up for him. Since then other stars have come forward with their tales of how unpleasant it was to work with the notorious actor. 13 13 Australian actor Guy Pearce claimed this year that he was 'targeted' by Spacey when they made the 1997 classic LA Confidential together. Pearce, 57, said: 'I was scared of Kevin, he's quite aggressive, extremely charming. I was young and susceptible.' Spacey denied the claims in a video, blasting back: 'Here you are now on a mission, some 28 years later, after I've been through hell and back." Last month Scottish actor David Hayman, 77, remembered having a word with Spacey about his behaviour while shooting the 2000 movie Ordinary Decent Criminal in Dublin. He claimed: 'Kevin Spacey is not a nice human being. He was being terrible to everyone.' David alleged that he told the American star 'You are ruining everyone's lives, you are not being supportive and you are reducing people to tears, you are chasing young men around Dublin, you're not being professional.' Last year Scottish actor Ruari Cannon, 33, claimed he was pursued by Spacey while working at the Old Vic Theatre in south London. He alleged in a Channel 4 documentary titled Spacey Unmasked that Spacey, who was at that time artistic director of the famous theatre, touched Ruari intimately without his consent in 2013 when he was aged 21. Ruari has brought a civil case against the Hollywood actor at London's High Court, which is yet to be resolved. In Spacey Unmasked in May 2024, ten men made accusations of sexually inappropriate behaviour. The included claims that he'd pleasured himself in front of a wannabe actor in a cinema and pushed his groin into the face of an Old Vic employee. The star denied doing anything 'illegal', and was found not guilty on all charges, but did admit to 'clumsy' approaches. With accusations still swirling around it is hard to imagine a major studio hiring Spacey. The streaming giant Netflix is yet to release the actor's portrayal of the American intellectual Gore Vidal eight years after the film titled Gore was made. The star was so toxic that British director Sir Ridley Scott reshot all the shamed actor's scenes in 2017's All the Money in the World, replacing him with Christopher Plummer at huge expense. 13 In the same year Netflix axed its political satire House of Cards, feeling it couldn't continue with its lead actor in so much hot water. Since then he's played an assassin in a poorly received film called Peter Five Eight and will next appear in The Awakening, which is seeking buyers at Cannes. The other forthcoming project is a historical drama called 1780 which is set during America's war of independence from Britain. But these are all small scale projects. Geoffrey insists that Spacey is working his way back into favour, saying: 'He is not done. He's just thinking it over and when he figures it out, get out of his way.' Other celebrity backers include Sir Elton John who partied with Spacey in Nice, France, after the actor was found not guilty of nine sexual offence charges in July 2023. The singer was a witness for the defence at the trial at Southwark Crown Court where four men claimed Spacey had forced himself upon them. A jury in a civil case in 2022 also found that Rapp had not proven his allegations. Spacey and his supporters argue that these legal successes prove his innocence. During his speech at Cannes, the actor complained: 'Who would have ever thought that honouring someone who has been exonerated in every single courtroom he's ever walked into would be thought of as a brave idea?' 'Too handsy' The truth, though, is that Spacey has admitted mistreating other men. After Anthony Rapp made his claims in 2017 Spacey's publicist said that the actor was seeking 'evaluation and treatment.' In a 2024 interview with Piers Morgan, the actor confessed to 'bad behaviour' and being 'too handsy'. The House of Cards producers sacked Spacey on the grounds that he was ill with 'compulsive sexual behaviour disorder'. They successfully sued him for £22million, due to the revenue they lost by having to cancel the show. Those huge costs almost bankrupted Spacey and he had to sell his home in Baltimore to pay his legal bills. But Spacey says that following his treatment he is a 'better person.' Geoffrey thinks that Spacey deserves another chance. He concludes: 'Let's give this wonderful man a break. Last time he was in a film, he was a sexy, handsome, leading man. 'Well, he's no longer young. It happens to all of us in show business. We have to adjust to our ages and play different kinds of roles. 'I think he's figuring out what would be good. And when he does, we're going to see him right at the top again." 13 13 13
BreakingNews.ie
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BreakingNews.ie
Kevin Spacey 'glad to be working' as he is feted in Cannes
Oscar-winning US actor Kevin Spacey said that "it was nice to be back" at an awards ceremony on the sidelines of the Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday evening. Spacey, who won Oscars for American Beauty and The Usual Suspects, was one of Hollywood's biggest stars before he was first accused of sexual assault in 2017, after which he was dropped from the TV drama House of Cards. Advertisement In 2022, the now 65-year-old was charged in Britain with nine sexual offences against four men between 2004 and 2013 but was acquitted of all charges after a high-profile trial in 2023. In the United States, Spacey in 2022 defeated a sexual abuse case against him after jurors in a Manhattan civil trial found his accuser did not prove his claim that Spacey made an unwanted sexual advance on him when he was 14. Spacey was in Cannes to receive an award for excellence in film and television from the Better World Fund, which fundraises in the name of "cinematic art at the service of humanity," at a charity gala dinner at the Carlton Hotel. US actors Sharon Stone and Kevin Costner have received similar awards from the organisation in recent years. Advertisement "I've heard from so many of my friends, colleagues and co-stars in the last week since this award was announced that I feel surrounded by support," Spacey said before the event. "I'm glad to be working," he added, when asked whether his appearance marked a comeback. Spacey is also at the festival to help Britain's Camelot Films sell the conspiracy action thriller The Awakening, in which he plays the character Balthazar. He faces separate civil lawsuits from three men for alleged sexual abuse in London and is defending the cases.
Khaleej Times
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Cannes Film Festival 2025: Kevin Spacey 'glad to be working' as he is feted
Oscar-winning US actor Kevin Spacey said that "it was nice to be back" at an awards ceremony on the sidelines of the Cannes Film Festival on May 20 evening. Spacey, who won Oscars for American Beauty and The Usual Suspects, was one of Hollywood's biggest stars before he was first accused of sexual assault in 2017, after which he was dropped from the TV drama House of Cards. In 2022, the now 65-year-old was charged in Britain with nine sexual offences against four men between 2004 and 2013 but was acquitted of all charges after a high-profile trial in 2023. In the US, Spacey in 2022 defeated a sexual abuse case against him after jurors in a Manhattan civil trial found his accuser did not prove his claim that Spacey made an unwanted sexual advance on him when he was 14. Spacey was in Cannes to receive an award for excellence in film and television from the Better World Fund, which fundraises in the name of "cinematic art at the service of humanity," at a charity gala dinner at the Carlton Hotel. US actors Sharon Stone and Kevin Costner have received similar awards from the organisation in recent years. "I've heard from so many of my friends, colleagues and co-stars in the last week since this award was announced that I feel surrounded by support," Spacey said before the event. "I'm glad to be working," he added, when asked whether his appearance marked a comeback. Spacey is also at the festival to help Britain's Camelot Films sell the conspiracy action thriller The Awakening, in which he plays the character Balthazar. He faces separate civil lawsuits from three men for alleged sexual abuse in London and is defending the cases.
Malay Mail
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
Kevin Spacey honoured at Cannes gala, says ‘nice to be back' amid civil lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct
CANNES, France, May 21 — Oscar-winning US actor Kevin Spacey said that 'it was nice to be back' at an awards ceremony on the sidelines of the Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday evening. Spacey, who won Oscars for 'American Beauty' and 'The Usual Suspects', was one of Hollywood's biggest stars before he was first accused of sexual assault in 2017, after which he was dropped from the TV drama 'House of Cards'. In 2022, the now 65-year-old was charged in Britain with nine sexual offences against four men between 2004 and 2013 but was acquitted of all charges after a high-profile trial in 2023. In the United States, Spacey in 2022 defeated a sexual abuse case against him after jurors in a Manhattan civil trial found his accuser did not prove his claim that Spacey made an unwanted sexual advance on him when he was 14. Spacey was in Cannes to receive an award for excellence in film and television from the Better World Fund, which fundraises in the name of 'cinematic art at the service of humanity,' at a charity gala dinner at the Carlton Hotel. US actors Sharon Stone and Kevin Costner have received similar awards from the organisation in recent years. 'I've heard from so many of my friends, colleagues and co-stars in the last week since this award was announced that I feel surrounded by support,' Spacey said before the event. 'I'm glad to be working,' he added, when asked whether his appearance marked a comeback. Spacey is also at the festival to help Britain's Camelot Films sell the conspiracy action thriller 'The Awakening,' in which he plays the character Balthazar. He faces separate civil lawsuits from three men for alleged sexual abuse in London and is defending the cases. — Reuters
Reuters
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Reuters
Kevin Spacey 'glad to be working' as he is feted in Cannes
CANNES, France, May 20 (Reuters) - Oscar-winning U.S. actor Kevin Spacey said that "it was nice to be back" at an awards ceremony on the sidelines of the Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday evening. Spacey, who won Oscars for "American Beauty" and "The Usual Suspects", was one of Hollywood's biggest stars before he was first accused of sexual assault in 2017, after which he was dropped from the TV drama "House of Cards". In 2022, the now 65-year-old was charged in Britain with nine sexual offences against four men between 2004 and 2013 but was acquitted of all charges after a high-profile trial in 2023. In the United States, Spacey in 2022 defeated a sexual abuse case against him after jurors in a Manhattan civil trial found his accuser did not prove his claim that Spacey made an unwanted sexual advance on him when he was 14. Spacey was in Cannes to receive an award for excellence in film and television from the Better World Fund, opens new tab, which fundraises in the name of "cinematic art at the service of humanity," at a charity gala dinner at the Carlton Hotel. U.S. actors Sharon Stone and Kevin Costner have received similar awards from the organisation in recent years. "I've heard from so many of my friends, colleagues and co-stars in the last week since this award was announced that I feel surrounded by support," Spacey said before the event. "I'm glad to be working," he added, when asked whether his appearance marked a comeback. Spacey is also at the festival to help Britain's Camelot Films sell the conspiracy action thriller "The Awakening," in which he plays the character Balthazar. He faces separate civil lawsuits from three men for alleged sexual abuse in London and is defending the cases.
